The Soldiers of Odin ???

I am not quite sure what you mean by "assimilated" what is the threshold for assimilation? What does it mean to be an 'merican? How does one differentiate between assimilated 'mericans and non assimilated 'mericans? Is it possible for a non 'merican to be more 'merican than a 'merican in terms of being an assimilated 'merican

Ask 10 random Australians what it means to be Australian, and you're almost certainly guaranteed to get 10 or more different answers. The same is likely to apply to what it is to be an immigrant integrated into Australian society. I suspect that the same applies to 'mericans also.

That is a very bold assertion.....I suspect that assimilation into "American culture" was a very unevenly achieved process, given the deliberate segregation of groups within American society at different times and places during America's history. Assimilation Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Assimilation

Do We Really Want Immigrants to Assimilate?

http://crcw.princeton.edu/workingpapers/WP98-03-McCarthy.pdf

As quaint, and as noble as is the anecdote of your Grandparent's linguistic strictures are concerned, anecdotal evidence does not carry much weight in the broader context. For every anecdote like your Grandparents', there are others who have placed as much value on the importance of retaining the language and culture of the motherland or fatherland from which they originated. Learning English is a practical necessity, and it is a sensible person who learns English and is proficient in its use, particularly in a country where the official language is English, but in circumstances where the choice of language usage is optional, there is no requirement to exclude conversation in languages other than in English, simply because random Anglophones are not multilingual. Speaking in a language other than English, doesn't lower or negate one's integration into Australian society as an Australian. Perhaps different rules apply in 'merica?

My, my, Minuteman....you certainly do a splendid red herring Red Herring. A regulation, mandating a minimum standard of English competency for a pilot's license, is a legislated requirement in Australia not a requirement for being identified as an Australian national nor acceptance as a true blue Aussie.

Ah Minuteman....you have such a delightful, dignified way with words, and such quaint turns of expression....How does an ad hominem attack on my country of birth strengthen your "argument" (if it could be called that)??? Methinks that some potty language on your part does not actually compensate for a lack of intellectual honesty, integrity, or generosity, also on your part.

Apparently 130K+ American citizens and descendants share a place in the bowl....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Australians, but that's ok, they fit in well with the rest of us Aussies.

Yep.....here are some more folk who found sanctuary described as the "toilet" by Minuteman, but otherwise known as Australia.....http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/australia-day-what-it-means-to-be-australian-20150122-12vrhh.html They, and others like them contribute well to Australian society. We Australians are a nation of many peoples from many lands...and we can justly be as proud of our origins, as of the nation where we have ended up, and are presently a part of.

 

I can only speak for myself on this as I have an opinion just like everyone else.

Assimilation imply that that you become part of the existing culture and adapt and the existing culture adapts to you as well.

Where I get upset is the places where Muslim law, specifically sharia law conflicts with the American constitution. TThe law of the land is separation of church and state and Sharia law does not do that. While in America, the US Constitution is king. Hope we can keep it that way

I can understand the need for interpreters but I also think speaking the language of the land you move to is mandatory. I get annoyed when another cuter refuses to speak English in public situations in America. I can certainly make accommodations when I need to but I have seen other cultures hide behind. 'Me no speeky english.' here in America.

I don't go to other countries and expect them to accommodate English only.

No one needs to give up their heritage or traditions and part of assimilation is trying to get along with others in public settings. so 'playing nice' on the play ground takes so effort on both sides.

We had this same problem when Italians and the Irish came to American in ship loads. I remember how upset my grandparents were when the Vietnamese refugees were brought into america.

I do think the chance of having radical Muslim factions come in as refugees is a definite possibility but in all honesty they can only kill a few thousand Americans before we get them. It will sick to be living in a war zone and that might be the end result of this Syrian refugee relief and the sieve that is our southern boarder

Now where is that bullet thread... just in case

 

"yet" - it seems that you are one of those who considers his fellow humans to be criminals, terrorists or nutcases unless certified otherwise by some government agency. It is an attitude that is way to prevalent these days.

FREE people are considered to be sane, responsible and law-abiding until their own actions prove otherwise.

 

@Minuteman "This group in one incarnation or another has been around for decades in the US."
Yes, but you do not know if these SOO dudes are one of these.

"Try to get a pilots license in the US or in 'stralia. You are required to speak English."
It goes farther than that. English is the international language all pilots must use to talk to air traffic controllers everywhere in the world. I had a Russian friend who was a Flight Engineer who after retiring taught English to the pilots and engineers in a lot of the Former Soviet Union countries along with Flight Simulators.

 

I suppose I have some direct insight into this since my wife is one of those foreign born who lives here - legally mind you. She is a green card holder and has not decided yet if she wishes to become an American citizen because if something were to happen to me - well - there is no family here, at all. All of her family is in Russia or Central Asia.

She doesn't speak English well but she is making every attempt even at the ripe old age of 40 to learn the language. I try not to cut her any breaks as using a language is the best way to learn and get comfortable with it. I should know. But, written English is a mess and I pity anyone trying to learn to read or write it. Speaking it well enough to communicate is a breeze which is why you meet cab drivers with 3rd grade educations in foreign countries that can communicate well enough with you.

So, she doesn't speak English well which truly limits her chances of employment - a lot! But, is she assimilating? This is a dicey question...looking at the definition below I would say that her lack of English is slowing the process of her understanding of the country she is now living. She cannot understand our tax system, our politics, read our newspapers... It's hard to explain but she doesn't understand many things about this country simply because she doesn't understand English. So, in my opinion, it is truly slowing her assimilation. She has retained much of her old country traditions for example she has found a Russian Orthodox church she regularly attends but she moves throughout the community normally like all Americans: shopping, library, etc. But, no plays, movie theaters, etc. She is deathly afraid that the police might stop her while driving and she will not understand them...which shows she truly doesn't know or at least doesn't totally understand her rights in this country.

The other point to be made for a National Language and a requirement to know it is it does aid in national unity - again this is simply my opinion but I believe it does. There is nothing wrong with knowing a second language, a benefit actually, but the lack of understand the language of the country you live truly impedes you in all ways.

Assimilate
1. take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully.
absorb and integrate (people, ideas, or culture) into a wider society or culture.
"they were crushed and ultimately assimilated by the Romans"
"the amount of information he can assimilate"
2. cause (something) to resemble; liken.

 

A new immigrant, just off the boat, goes up the first person he sees "THANK YOU AMERICAN for letting me come here!"
"Oh, I'm an african-american, not an american" says he. So he goes to the next, "THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE, AMERICAN" again he is rebuffed with "I'm a latino-american not an american", so again he seeks the next american "THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE, AMERICAN" and again "I'm a half jew-half Chinese-Catholic-american, not an american."
"SO WHERE DO I FIND AN " AMERICAN"?? He asked comfused and a bit angry...
"Dude, it's only 2pm, they are all at work......"

 

@kellory Dude you are horrible! LOL!!!!!

 

The KKK was/is a political terrorist organization, it grew in an attempt to limit political power of non-local (Republican) parties.


A better historical example would be the Vigilance Committees seen in many Old West towns and cities. (Please note the difference between North and South).

"A vigilance committee was a group formed of private citizens to administer law and order where they considered governmental structures to be inadequate. The term is commonly associated with the frontier areas of the American West in the mid-19th century, where groups attacked cattle rustlers and gangs, and people at gold mining claims. As such groups operated outside the law"

San Francisco's were most notorious...

Among the immigrants to San Francisco were the most ruthless criminals in the world. A substantial number came from Van Dieman's Land and New South Wales where the British had sent their criminals in the mid-1800s. Once those criminals served their time, they sailed for California. (Oz? I'm shocked)

California Vigilantes
The numbers grew and the "Sydney Coves" (Sydney Ducks) were almost impossible to control as witnesses and prosecutors were few. The offenders operated unchecked from late 1849 through early 1851 with robberies, midnight assaults ending in murder, gambling, and starting fires, during which they would plunder shops and homes. At one point, more than 100 murders had been committed within the space of a few months and not one criminal had been executed.

To regain order, two vigilance groups were formed between 1851 and 1856. Unfortunately, rather than stemmig crime, they were among the most notorious. The 1856 Committee was one of the most successful organizations in the vigilante tradition of America's Old West.

The Committee of Vigilance formed in 1851 and revived in 1856 lynched eight people, kidnapped hundreds of Irishmen and government militia members, and forced several elected officials to resign.

This is not limited to the Wild West
http://allafrica.com/stories/201512231286.html (Cameroon)
The Latin Quarter vigilance committee (Paris of the early 19th Century)

And now we see these Sons of Odin - why? Because they see the local Gov't as powerless (or indifferent) to stop problems.

See also - Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia Records, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

 

Mai Lai
If you want to see a group whom has an continues to bastardizy a language
Then come to South Louisiana and stroke out!!!

 

@DKR This is a most interesting read!

"To regain order, two vigilance groups were formed between 1851 and 1856. Unfortunately, rather than stemming crime, they were among the most notorious. The 1856 Committee was one of the most successful organizations in the vigilante tradition of America's Old West."
The last two sentences seem to be a contradiction. I guess it means they were successful in ridding themselves of the gangs of criminals but by doing so they broke the law quite severely, "...lynched eight people, kidnapped hundreds of Irishmen and government militia members, and forced several elected officials to resign." But, how did John Wayne put it ' A man's got to do what a man's got to do" and sounds like they got the job done.

Being of Irish descent, I don't care too much about that "kidnapped hundreds of Irishmen' part. Us poor Irish always getting the bad end of the stick...Up the IRA!

 

OK, now I have GOT to call BS on this! Have you never see wallabies take to the road and run like heck at the sound of a zipper? Sheep (or so I am told by Aussie sheep herders) do too. Hmmmm... wonder of that is why they all wore robes in the old days?

 

There's some pretty active militia's around here. But I'm not much of a joiner when it comes to that stuff. I served my time, I'm done giving up control of my life and God runs it all anyway. If it ever comes down to it, I'll die if need be, but I'll die right here.

 

@Minuteman "...Nathan Bedford Forrest..."
Yes, all true! He truly was a military genius. I became very infatuated with him years ago when started to study the Civil War in depth and learned, like you, that we certainly didn't get the whole story in school or even university. But, his leadership, heroics, or his stand against the Klan still didn't help his name in history. He made a fortune in cotton, land and slaves before the war if I remember correctly... But, he is only remembered because of the Klan and Ft. Pillow where 300 surrendering negro union soldiers were murder while under his command. He was cleared of all charges and responsibility after the war but of course that didn't matter and his named remains blacken because of it. I think I heard they pulled down his statue in Tennessee not so long ago. I do know he has a county named after him and wonder how long before the name is changed also. Sorry...way off topic.

 

they might have been connoissuers of Golden Circle pineapples.....



There are quite a few references to the Knights of varying standards of academic rigour on the internet....As to the Knights and their organisation themselves? Like the KKK, they have very little to recommend them. Organisations and movements that have enabled, supported, and justified slave owning, slave trafficking, and slave exploitation enjoy a very low esteem in my estimation.

 

So... are you saying you have a low opinion of Democrats?

 

Hahahaha........it's a nice trick question......I have a low opinion of those back in the day who carried out the kind of antebellum slavery that was typical of America (North and South). I have a low opinion of those organisations and supporters postbellum who have tried to resurrect the ante bellum mode of plantation slavery.....regardless of their politics, and I particularly hold in vastly low opinion of those theists who had justified the institution of slavery on the basis of the sacred writ of Christian scriptures.

Do present day Democrats support the ante bellum style institution of slavery that they did back in the day?....no. The Democrat Party political platform is as progressive now in the matter of minorities as Republicans were back in the days of Slavery, and the Republican Party is now as regressive in the matter of minorities as the Democrats were back in the day.....

My regard, or lack of it in respect of present day Democrats and Republicans rests with their present day politics, not the politics of a century and a half ago. My admiration of Republicans and their social policies of the 19th and early 20th century has diminished the more they have thrown their lot in with the social policies favoured by the conservative religious right. Barry Goldwater was perhaps the last of the old style Republican presidential candidates with whom I have any positive regard for...

 

to be honest I have a fairly low opinion of nearly all politicians...

and a deep distrust...